Helck: Season 1, Episode 14 - The Mercenaries (2023)

Episode 14 of Helck Season 1, titled "The Mercenaries," opens with Helck recounting more details of his past to Vermilio. He explains that after Cless left on a dangerous mission, monsters began appearing more frequently, prompting the Kingdom to enforce military conscription. Helck was drafted into a monster purge unit alongside Edil. Despite his fear, Helck fought bravely against the New World Creatures (NWC) and managed to defeat them, which Vermilio attributes to Helck's Hero powers awakening.

Helck then shares information about Edil, revealing that Edil is the son of an Area Lord who left the capital because his region's soldiers were unable to handle the monster threat alone. Edil's goal was to petition for more monster-purging soldiers. Helck offers to assist Edil, and they travel together to Edil's homeland. Upon arrival, they find the area engulfed in flames, but Helck reassures Edil that his people are still alive. They decide to investigate the area to deal with the monsters causing the destruction.

While exploring the burning city, Helck and Edil encounter a female warrior fiercely fighting the rampaging monsters. The woman wields a holy sword capable of cutting through the monsters' tough carapaces, a weapon passed down through her family for generations. She is surprised by Helck's raw strength, as she believed her swordsmanship should make her stronger than him. Helck and Edil join forces with her to defeat the remaining monsters.

After the battle, several civilians emerge safely from a building, which pleases Edil. The female warrior reveals she leads a mercenary group that came to help the city for free upon seeing the trouble. Edil thanks the mercenaries for their assistance. Edil then asks the mercenaries to stay, emphasizing the need for more soldiers to protect the area. The episode implies that the mercenaries have been employed for years following this event, although no direct payment exchange is shown.

The episode also touches on Helck's early awakening of his Hero powers and his determination to fight despite not knowing martial arts. During the initial monster encounter, the commanding officers were killed, and the regular soldiers retreated, leaving Edil to rely solely on Helck's strength to save more lives. Helck's victory over the NWC with his bare fists, despite being inexperienced, marks a turning point in his military involvement.

Throughout the episode, Helck's past and motivations are further revealed, including his bond with Edil and his commitment to protecting others despite the dangers. The episode ends with the mercenary group's presence established as a key element in the ongoing fight against monsters in Edil's homeland.

The ending of Helck Season 1, Episode 14 "The Mercenaries" shows Helck and Edil arriving at Edil's homeland, which is burning due to monster attacks. They meet a female warrior leading a mercenary group fighting the monsters. Together, they defeat the monsters, and Edil is relieved to find surviving civilians. The mercenaries offer their help freely, and Edil asks them to stay as soldiers to protect the area going forward.

In detail, the episode begins with Helck recounting his past to Vermilio, explaining how after Cless left on a dangerous mission, monsters began appearing more frequently. This led the Kingdom to enforce military conscription, and Helck was drafted into a monster purge unit alongside Edil. Despite being scared, Helck fought bravely against the New World Creatures (NWC), using raw strength to defeat a powerful monster even without martial arts knowledge. The commanding officers were killed, and the regular soldiers retreated, leaving Edil to rely solely on Helck to continue the fight.

Helck shares that Edil is the son of an Area Lord who left the capital because his soldiers could not handle the monster threat alone. Edil's goal is to petition for more monster-purging soldiers. When Helck and Edil arrive at Edil's homeland, they find it engulfed in flames from monster attacks. Helck reassures Edil that his people are still alive and suggests they confront the monsters.

They encounter a female warrior who is fiercely cutting through the monsters with a holy sword passed down in her family. She is surprised by Helck's strength, as she believed her swordsmanship should make her stronger. Together, Helck, Edil, and the mercenary woman defeat the remaining monsters. Civilians emerge safely from a building, which brings Edil relief.

The woman reveals she leads a mercenary group that came to help for free upon seeing the crisis. Edil thanks them and asks if they would stay to help protect the area, effectively recruiting them as soldiers. The episode ends with the mercenaries agreeing to stay, marking the beginning of a new alliance to defend the land from ongoing monster threats.

Regarding the main characters' fates at the episode's end: Helck remains a powerful fighter committed to protecting others; Edil takes on a leadership role, seeking to strengthen defenses; and the mercenary leader and her group become new allies in the fight against monsters. The episode closes on a note of cooperation and hope amid the chaos of monster invasions.

There is no postcredit scene in Helck Season 1 Episode 14, titled "The Mercenaries." The episode concludes with the main narrative and does not include any additional scenes or teases after the credits roll.

In episode 14, Helck shares with Vermilio that after Cless left on his mission, more monsters began appearing, leading the Kingdom to enforce military conscription. Helck was drafted into a monster purge unit alongside Edil. Despite being scared, Helck fought bravely against the New World Creatures (NWC) and won, which Vermilio suspects was due to Helck's Hero powers activating early.

Edil is introduced as the son of an Area Lord who left the capital because his area's soldiers were insufficient to handle the monster threat. He aims to petition for more monster-purging soldiers. Helck teams up with Edil to visit Edil's homeland, which they find burning due to monster attacks. Edil is a key ally in the fight against monsters and in recruiting help.

Helck and Edil encounter a female warrior who is fighting monsters in a city under attack. She wields a holy sword passed down in her family, capable of cutting through monster carapaces. She leads a mercenary group that came to help fight the monsters for free. After working together to defeat the monsters, Edil expresses gratitude to the mercenaries, and they become involved in the ongoing defense efforts.

Helck faces a New World Creature alone to buy time for others to escape. Despite not knowing martial arts, he withstands the creature's attacks and ultimately defeats it with his raw strength and bare fists. This battle reveals Helck's exceptional power and hints at his Hero abilities awakening early.

The burning city represents the escalating monster threat that has overwhelmed local defenses, prompting military conscription and the involvement of mercenaries. It is the site where Helck, Edil, and the female warrior join forces to combat the monsters. The devastation underscores the dire situation and the need for coordinated defense efforts.

The TV show Helck, Season 1, Episode 14 ("The Mercenaries") is rated TV-14 in the United States, indicating it is generally suitable for viewers 14 and older but may not be appropriate for younger children. It contains moderate violence and gore, including sword fights with characters getting cut and a scene where a character stabs himself in the neck with a sword shard, though the gore is not excessively graphic. There is moderate profanity, with a few strong curse words used in one scene. The episode also has moderate frightening and intense scenes, which may be unsettling for sensitive viewers. There is no sexual content or nudity, and only mild references to alcohol or smoking.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

• Sword combat with blood and injury, including self-inflicted stabbing
• Intense emotional moments and some dark themes related to hardship and conflict
• Moderate use of strong language (e.g., "motherf*s," "go f* yourself")
• Some scenes may be emotionally heavy or intense due to character backstory and struggles

Overall, while the episode has no sexual content, it features moderate violence, some strong language, and emotionally intense scenes that may not be suitable for young children or very sensitive viewers.